Currently many networks are employed within various organizations such as companies, governmental agencies, and other organizations. Typically, a number of computers or other devices are coupled to the network providing user access to a number of specified individuals. Often, such networks include a server or other device with a directory or database that lists the particular users and machines that are coupled to the network. The information in the directory or database may include, for example, usernames, security passwords, email addresses, and other information as is generally known to those with ordinary skill in the art. By including such information, the directory or database may be employed, for example, for security purposes and other uses. For example, when individuals first log on to the network through a computer coupled to the network, they may be prompted to provide a password that is associated with their username. The directory or database may be consulted to verify that a password entered by a user matches the password associated with the corresponding username.
As the use of networks has developed, network machines have been created to perform the operations of copying, scanning, transmission of documents in digital form, and other services. These network machines have been labeled “multi-function peripherals” that are having an impact on the way that offices operate. For example, such machines have reduced amount of paper used in offices due to their ability to scan one or more documents into digital form and distribute the same to a number of parties specified by the user. Such functionality is generally termed “digital sending,” etc.
With the advent of multifunction peripherals and other devices on networks, the directory and/or database have seen new uses. For example, suppose that an individual wishes to scan a document into digital form using a multifunction peripheral to send to one or more users on the network. One must enter the username(s) of the particular recipient(s) to allow the multifunction peripheral to send the digital documents to the recipient(s), accordingly. However, entering the username(s) every time can be somewhat tedious and is subject to error. It may be useful to employ the username information stored in the directory or database to prompt a user based upon the first few characters entered. For example, when entering the name “John Doe”, the user may be prompted upon entering “Jo” by displaying the first alphabetically possible name out of the directory or database corresponding to the letters entered. As each subsequent letter is entered, the name displayed changes accordingly.
Unfortunately, such prompting is difficult to accomplish due to the speed considerations. Specifically, a digital sending device must continually request information from the directory or database that is stored in a server, for example, on the network to obtain the names for display. Due to the fact that requests must be transmitted to the appropriate server for such information, the display of prompting information for the user is less than optimal due to slow network speed and other factors.